After several developer previews and public testing programs, OS X 10.10 Yosemite was officially released to the public last week.
The update features an all-new design that streamlines the aesthetics that the mobile iOS received when Apple introduced iOS 7.
However, aesthetics are not the only things that changed for OS X Yosemite. There are also performance upgrades, along with several hidden features that may prove to be useful to certain Mac users.
Dark Mode
OS X Yosemite introduces a Dark Mode, which could make it easier to look at the Mac's screen, especially in rooms that are poorly lit. When activated, the bright colors found in the menu bar, sub-menus and application dock are replaced by black.
The feature can be activated by going to System Preferences from the Applications folder, clicking on General, and then checking the option for "Use dark menu bar and Dock."
A similar feature has already been available in iBooks and iOS, and with OS X Yosemite, the feature is brought to Mac.
Messages app upgrades
On the Messages app, users can choose to mute certain message threads for a given amount of time by selecting the thread, clicking on Detail, and checking the "Do Not Disturb" option.
The Messages app now also supports the sharing of screens. Clicking on the Detail button will also bring up the screen sharing button. Users can request for other users to share their screen or invite other users to view your screen.
Mail upgrades
The Mail app now has the Mark Up feature which allows users to add text, shapes and callouts to pictures using the Mac's trackpad. The feature is smart enough that it will convert shapes that users are trying to draw into smoother versions, such as if the user is trying to draw a perfect circle, which is almost impossible to do manually. The Mark Up feature also allows users to fill up and add signatures to PDFs.
Adding signature is not limited to PDFs though, as Mail, along with Preview, can now also include the user's signature. There is now a dedicated signature button that, when clicked, allows the user to sign on the trackpad to affix their signature on the e-mail or image.
Recording iOS device screens
QuickTime on OS X Yosemite allows users to record the screen of their iPhone or iPad, which is a feature that can only be previously done through the usage of a third-party product and AirPlay.
Users can record screens of their iOS devices by first connecting the device to the Mac and then clicking on File and then New Screen Recording on the menu bar of QuickTime. An arrow beside the record button will allow the user to select the iPhone or iPad to record from, which will begin upon clicking the record button.
Spotlight currency converter
In addition to the design overhaul that Spotlight received for OS X Yosemite, it also now includes a built-in currency converter. Users can simply type in lines such as "1 USD to Euro" to convert currencies.
iCloud tabs closing
iCloud tabs is a feature that has been seen in past version of OS X, allowing users to see the tabs that are open on connected Macs and iOS devices. However, with OS X Yosemite, users can also close the tabs remotely.
Safari RSS feeds
Safari is now once again able to support RSS subscriptions, accessible from the browser's Shared Links tab. Clicking on the RSS link of any website will add the RSS feed of the website to the Shared Links tab of Safari.
Features shared with iOS 8
QuickType is a very useful suggestion feature for the predictive keyboard that was introduced in iOS 8. In OS X Yosemite, the same feature can be activated by highlighting a word and pressing the escape button.
Another feature introduced in iOS 8 that is in OS X Yosemite is 3D Flyover Tours. The feature utilizes Maps 3D Flyover mode to zone in to several major landmarks in several cities. The tours can be accessed by searching for a supported Flyover location such as Rome and then clicking on the Tour button.
